Getting around Madrid by metro

A few years ago, I was running late to work as usual and I got into my boca de metro (metro entrance) only to realize the metro had closed for no reason. I kept walking to the next metro stop, and it was closed too! “Yes! I have an excuse for being late to tell my boss,” thought the Spaniard in me. Then, I realized that something big was going on — the city’s public transport workers had gone on strike.

For three days, the city looked like a scene from a Hitchcock movie. People were either waiting in lines to take the bus or walking long distances to work. To sum up, chaos reigned over the city. Finally, the transport union and City Hall came to an agreement and the citizens got back the most valued form of public transport in Madrid — the metro!!

Madrid’s first metro line was opened by the former King Alfonso XIII on October 17th, 1917. Today, under Felipe VI’s reign, ElMetro de Madridcovers more than 300km and 12 lines (plus line “R” and the “light rail”) and it is the most used form of transport in Spain.

Here’s all you need to know about tickets, prices and zones!

metro by metromadrid.es

If you’re in Madrid for a few days, there are three types of metro tickets to choose from:

1. Tourist travel pass for 8,40€, one day: unlimited rides for metro, bus andregional train system (Cercanías). Before you buy one, remember that the city center is not that big and you can walk almost everywhere.

2. Metrobús, 10-trip ticket for 12,20€:access to all metro lines and buses.

Our advice: if you’re only here for a few days, you should buy this last option.

If you are planning on staying a bit longer, you might consider getting a monthly travel card, called an abono, in which caseyou’ll pay 54,60€ per month for unlimited access to metro, bus and cercanías. For further information about this ticket, check out this article: How to get your abono.

Routes of 6 to 9 stations: 0.10€ extra per station.
Routes of 10 stations or more: 2.00€.
In the vending machines inside all metro stations, you pick a destination on the touch screen and it will automatically calculate the number of stations and price for the shortest route possible.

(**) Valid for the Metro Network of Madrid Region, TFM and Light Rail.

(***) Valid for 10 journeys with a SINGLE transfer EMT + EMT in a maximum of 60 minutes starting from the first validation.